Sera W.

Sera teaches

Sera delivers an exceptional lesson experience and ranks in the top
15% of our teachers nationwide.

Teaches students:

Ages 5+ and special needs

Teaching since:

June 2005

I am a professional string bassist and bass guitarist based out of Long Beach, California with a combined 10 years experience as a supporting instrument player.

Born in Saint Peters, Missouri, I began my musical journey with the guitar at age 12 under the tutelage of the man who would become my High School choral arts director, leading me to several All District Titles as a vocal soloist and quartet leader. During senior year, I began teaching guitar privately, as well as entering into the world of the Jazz Band and Musical Theatre with a pit performance during Tom Sawyer: The Musical in 2005.

In the following years, I began to teach myself bass guitar, and after moving to California, the string bass. I am currently an active player in the Long Beach City College Orchestras as 3rd Chair String Bass, where she is working towards her degree in Music Education.

With a variety of musical experiences already, I am easily adaptable in any genre or styles that my students want to learn. I favor the French bow, but play German, too. My bass is set up for orchestral, with a pickup for jazz gigs on Sundays. I play with thumbpicks on guitar and bass guitar, teaching finger-styles for both and digging in with picks when it's time to turn up.

*** Lesson Details ***
I focus on being able to play the basics first. Within a few weeks, a student can expect to play a medium range of notes in one hand position, read in the appropriate clef. Scales and arpeggios will follow, and within a few months, a student can expect to be able to play several positions. Guitar students should be able to play basic chord songs. Bass Guitar students should be able to accompany basic contemporary works. Both bass & guitar students can then begin focusing on their favorite genres as part of the lesson, along with continuing fingerboard and technique knowledge.

All string bass students will have a basic knowledge of bowing techniques and how to care for the instrument, along with some etudes from Simandl. Jazz oriented string bass students will then begin working on the forms used in standards, along with 2 feel techniques and the outlines necessary to begin walking charts. Classical students will begin playing excerpts from various ensemble pieces with the teacher in order to solidify that technique. For both cases, a bow is necessary as part of ear training.

New Guitar Students should have Guitar Method Volume 1 by Hal Leonard.
New String Bass students should consider Franz Simandl New Method for String Bass Part 1 for home practice (there are multiple versions; any will be fine, but I recommend Stuart Sankey's International Music Company with the blue cover.)
New Bass Guitar students will not need a book, as I will be teaching out of my own method that I am currently writing.

*** Studio Equipment ***
I have two bass guitar amps set up in my studio space at all times, as that instrument will almost always require some basic amplification, along with one small guitar amp for electric guitar students (I play an acoustic guitar). I also have a metronome, music stand, and some printed materials, along with blank manuscript paper and plenty of pencils. I am currently shopping for a manuscript-whiteboard for the future.

*** Travel Equipment ***
I will bring an instrument and certain printed materials. I expect students to have an instrument, including a basic bow for string bass students (even for jazz), and all students should have a metronome. If the student is playing electric bass or electric guitar, I will bring a small amp for myself, but student should have a practice amp in their practice space.

*** Specialties ***
Currently writing my own method with etudes for bass guitar, based on my performance experience. My upright bass focus starts with Simandl method, modified to include a few more melodic sections. I play and teach jazz, blues, rock, country, Latin, and classical. I specialize in French bow, but can teach German-preferred students, as well.

English

German

Sera is a great Bassist as well as a great teacher. I have been taking private lessons with her for a few months now and every time I leave I feel like Ive learned something new. Before coming to her, I wanted to improve on my theory and basic reading skills. I came to the right place. Sera has a wealth of materials and resourses to use and even writes out her own curriculum for students. Our last meeting together we were working on walking around chord changes and note choice, and she took the time to actually write out a piece ahead of time so that we had something to focus on during the lesson.
I really enjoy taking lessons from Sera. Any bass player will tell you that it's not up to the teacher whether or not you improve, it's up to you. But if you want an instructor that's going to help guide you in the right directions and provide excellent materials to help you improve, Sera is a great option.